New Beginnings

Chapter Eight

<LAUREN POV>

As much as the two old friends wished they could spend day after day catching up and laughing in their dorm room unfortunately they had this thing called school, and today was the first day. Lauren woke up first around 7am groaning at the sound of her alarm. She already regretted signing up for an 8am class, but she was nevertheless excited because she loved learning. She grabbed a towel and her shower caddy and headed to the bathroom to get ready for the day, hoping a shower would wake her up before she grabbed a coffee.

When the green eyed girl finished getting ready she grabbed her backpack, her thermos of coffee and a granola bar and headed to her first class of the day. She had intro to psychology first in a large auditorium on the south side of campus, it took her 15 minutes to find the right building and she tried not to look TOO much like a freshman, but eventually she found where she was supposed to be. When she entered the room it was almost completely full with only a few seats left in the back of the room, Lauren scooted her way through the aisles to find a seat in the crowded rows.

Right when she took her seat a silence came over the room as her professor entered and walked down the stairs to the podium in front of the class.

The red haired woman cleared her throat before giving a loud introduction, "Welcome students, to Psychology 1001, I am your professor Dr. Angela Gardner, you may refer to me as Dr. Gardner. If you are not in the right classroom I suggest you leave immediately."

Lauren didn't know why, but she was terrified by the woman. The confidence with which she spoke to a classroom of 300 and the bite in her voice was intimidating.

"While this may be an introductory course," Dr. Gardner said while pacing the front of the room, "I expect you all to pay attention in class, do the readings, and not wait until the night before the test to study--"

As she was talking the boy next to Lauren tapped her on the shoulder, "are you as terrified by her as I am right now?" he whispered as Lauren glanced over at him and involuntarily let out a loud chuckle.

"Is something funny back there?" the middle-aged woman asserted looking directly at Lauren and the boy.

Lauren was frozen with fear and looked to the brown haired kid with glasses next to her for some help.

"No mam," the boy explained, "I just accidently spilled my water everywhere like a klutz, sorry to interrupt."

The teacher seemed to think this excuse was good enough and went back to discussing the syllabus.

Lauren finally exhaled looking over to the boy they both shyly smiled.

"Sorry for getting you in trouble on the first day," he said with a charming smile, "my name is Connor by the way, so rude of me to make you laugh without introducing myself first."

The dark haired girl grinned at Connor pushing a piece of hair behind her ear before sticking her hand out to shake the boy's hand, "I'm Lauren, it's nice to get in trouble with you."

The two silently chuckled and turned back to pay attention as Dr. Gardner as she went through the course schedule and rules before dismissing the class.

Lauren packed up her things and was about to exit the room when she heard someone yell after her, "HEY LAUREN, WAIT UP!" Connor came sprinting up the stairs to the exit to catch up to the girl.

Great. Lauren thought, this kid probably wants to get in my pants like every other guy in high school. Lauren had talked to Normani about college being a fresh start and that she was done sleeping with random guys she didn't care about. She was ready to make friends with people who actually cared about her instead of just wanting to use her. That's why she turned around with an annoyed look on her face when Connor approached her.